


The Pursuit of Happiness Pie

by deadgranger



Category: Waitress - Bareilles/Nelson
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Community: HPFT, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:48:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22359004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deadgranger/pseuds/deadgranger
Summary: What happens if Dr. Pomatter stays while his wife flies to Connecticut and he receives the Pursuit of Happiness Pie like Jenna originally intended?
Relationships: Jenna Hunterson/Jim Pomatter
Comments: 6
Kudos: 38





	The Pursuit of Happiness Pie

**Author's Note:**

> no betas or editing we die like [wo]men

“Melt warm Delicious Golden apples with free form brown sugar. Mix in cinnamon and allspice. Fold in cocoa chiffon until they merge together perfectly, and top with peaks of everlasting chantilly cream...”

“Mrs. Hunterson?” 

“Dust gently with powdered sugar.”

“Mrs. Hunterson?” 

“And garnish with rose petals.” 

“ _Mrs. Hunterson?_ ” Dr. Pomatter said firmly. 

Jenna jumped, nearly losing her grip on the pie in her hands. “Oh, sorry Dr. Pomatter, I must’ve been lost in my head for a second there.” 

He smiled lightly at her. “It’s okay. I was just talking about how my wife had to fly home to Connecticut this morning for a funeral, so don’t worry, I’m a little in my head today too.”

“Oh, I’m sorry for your loss,” she replied. 

“Thank you, Jenna,” he gave her a smile of gratitude. “It was an old family friend of my wife’s that I barely knew, so she’s upset with me for not going with her, but I told her I had too many high-risk patients due soon to go back to Connecticut for so long. Sorry, I’m rambling, aren’t I?” he explained. 

Jenna nodded. “Well, I’m still sorry for your loss. It’s always tough losing someone like family.” 

Silence fell as neither of them knew what to say next. Dr. Pomatter looked up from Jenna’s charts on his clipboard and finally noticed the pie Jenna was holding, his eyes lighting up at all of the sugar it definitely contained. 

“What kind of pie is that?” he gestured with his pen. 

“Oh, it’s uh, the Pursuit of Happiness Pie,” Jenna said, biting her lip. 

Dr. Pomatter raised an eyebrow questioningly. “The Pursuit of Happiness Pie?” 

“Yes,” she said, breath catching in her throat. 

“We could all use a slice of that, couldn’t we?” he said quietly. 

“Yeah, I-we really could,” Jenna whispered, not meeting his eyes. 

He gently raised her chin with a finger, forcing her to look at him. His gaze was soft, his eyes searching her own. They stared at each other with bated breath, neither one breaking eye contact. Dr. Pomatter caved first, leaning in to kiss her, but Jenna pulled away before he could. A flash of hurt and confusion passed over his face before he returned to his usual passive demeanor. 

Jenna abruptly set the pie next to her on the exam table and folded her hands in her lap. “Wait, Dr. Pomatter. I-I have something I want to say and I don’t want you to interrupt me.” 

Dr. Pomatter straightened and nodded his head, biting his lip to prevent himself from reassuring her she could speak without interruption, as he was wont to do. He gestured for her to continue. 

She took a deep breath and exhaled it before talking again. “Now I know that what we’ve, uh, had, has been good. But you and I both have responsibilities that we’ve been ignoring to keep whatever the hell this thing is going. I know that I don’t love my husband, and I know that I haven’t for a very long time. What I don’t know, however, is what he’d try to do if I tried to leave him,” she held up a hand to stop Dr. Pomatter’s protest. “This is not me reporting a threat to my safety or wellbeing, Dr. Pomatter, please. This is just how it is with him, and that’s that. What I need to know, really, is what this pie that I’ve brought in for you today, what you think this pie means to me. Tell me what you think it means, and then I’ll know what to do next.” 

Silence filled the exam room after her speech, the length of which had surprised Jenna. Dr. Pomatter thought quietly for a few minutes, staring hard at the pie. He cleared his throat heavily before he spoke. 

“I think that this pie,” he said slowly, “this Pursuit of Happiness pie, is you asking me a question you can’t bring yourself to ask me out loud, let alone yourself.” 

At Jenna’s nod, he continued. “And I think that my answer to that question is that no, I don’t love my wife like I used, and you? You calm me from my standard neurotic state, you bake the most delicious pies, and I don’t know if I can even feel like that with my wife at all anymore.” 

He ran a hand through his hair as Jenna absorbed his words. She frowned, mostly to herself, and he had to step away and take a few breaths to stop any rash actions he might otherwise take. 

“Will you do it?” she asked suddenly. 

Dr. Pomatter whirled back around to face her, lab coat billowing. “Will I do what?” 

“Pursue your happiness.” 

Their eyes met, lungs trapping air as neither dared breathe. 

“I...I will.” 

Jenna was the first to move, flicking her gaze down to his mouth and back up again, reaching for him without really realizing it. Before she knew what was happening, he was embracing her tightly and they were kissing like lovestruck teenagers, all fumbling hands and clacking teeth. They broke for air, chests heaving. 

Dr. Pomatter cleared his throat, releasing his tight hold on her, and said, “Jenna, I, I know that I want this-”

“But?”

“But we need to do this right. Both of us. You’ve got a baby coming, and I am not about to mess this up more than it already is by both of our situations.” 

“Okay,” Jenna replied glibly, smoothing down the front of her dress. 

“Hey,” he murmured, tipping her chin up to make her look at him. “I really do want this, I swear. You matter so much to me, Jenna Hunterson. I just don’t want to fuck it up before it’s even begun.” 

She gave him a small smile and nodded her acceptance of his words. 

He smiled back and put his professional face back on as Nurse Norma knocked on the door. “Come in, Nurse Nora. Great. Now, I believe I’ve got a new prescription for you, which will be filled by staying with other friends for the next few months until the baby has arrived. Your current home life appears to be very detrimental to your mental health and that is also likely affecting your physical health, which means it’s probably affecting your baby’s health too. Do you think you can do that for me, Mrs. Hunterson?” 

“Oh, um, I’m sure I can figure something out, Dr. Pomatter. Thank you for listening to my concerns and, uh, not making me feel so small,” Jenna said, breathing a little easier at Nurse Norma’s sympathetic expression. 

“Nurse Norma, could you please give Mrs. Hunterson her new prenatal vitamins and this prescription for some inflammatory medication on her way out? Thank you. Mrs. Hunterson, always a pleasure seeing you. I hope to hear good news in three weeks,” Dr. Pomatter rapped on his clipboard before making to leave the exam room. 

“Dr. Pomatter! Don’t forget the pie,” Jenna exclaimed. 

His cheeks turned the lightest shade of pink. “Of course, how could I forget? Thanks, as always, Mrs. Hunterson.” He picked up the pie and closed the door behind him, leaving Jenna and Nurse Norma alone. 

Before she walked Jenna through her new prescriptions, Nurse Norma gave her another sympathetic look. “If that no-good husband of yours tries anything, and I mean  _ anything _ , you just let me know, Mrs. Hunterson. You deserve much better than that, but I know how things can be. Call me anytime, okay?” 

She handed Jenna a blank prescription note with her phone number scribbled on it and gave her hand a quick squeeze. Jenna thanked her and followed her out to the pharmacy side of the practice. 

As she turned to leave, Jenna caught a glimpse of Dr. Pomatter chowing down on a slice of the Pursuit of Happiness pie at the back doorway. He caught her looking at him, and after swallowing, gave her the brightest grin he had all day. With a gentle lift of his plate towards her, he conveyed more than needed saying. Jenna smiled back at him and left feeling happier than she’d felt in a very long time. 

The Pursuit of Happiness Pie indeed. 

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hey all! This was a What If? scenario that just popped into my head one day so I just had to write it! I hope you enjoyed it, and let me know if you'd like a second chapter! I quite like the ending as is, but I'm also willing to continue it if I feel like there's enough story going on to make it so. 
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated! :) 
> 
> ~Madi


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